What Mrs Harris Going to Paris Teaches Us All

Thank you to Paul Gallico for writing the novel regarding the same in the first place. Set in London in 1957, a widowed cleaner by the name of Mrs Harris is a gentle soul who sometimes gets taken advantage of in life. Then again (spoiler) she has a few lucky wins in the end. When you stick the course, work hard, and never give up on your dreams despite a myriad of obstacles; you might (just might, or actually you will) come out on top at the end of the day. There were times where Mrs Harris wanted to throw in the towel, yet persistence paid. As well as having a little help from her support crew.

She is a careful and detailed cleaner, of who gains the respect and charm of her clients, acquaintances, and friends alike. She lost her husband in the war in 1944. Then again, a couple of her cleaning clients fail, and therefore gave her the short straw. With courage and conviction in speaking her mind, and in setting healthy boundaries; Mrs Harris tells them where to go towards the end of this 1 hour and 55 minute film.

It just goes to show that authenticity takes you far in life. While on a cleaning assignment, Mrs Harris falls in love with a handcrafted Dior dress that is valued to the tune of £500. For a widowed cleaner in tough times, that seems like a far fetch, yet Mrs Harris touches and visualises this dress; and thereby makes room in her wardrobe for such. Then again, that client valued that dress, and kept making excuses about lean times to Mrs Harris, failing to pay her on time. Mrs Harris gave her an ultimatum, while another client ruined her dream, of which gained more publicity for Dior, and she was handsomely rewarded in due course.

This movie is a great believer in karma. What comes around definitely goes around. And that a holiday is what you need sometimes, in order to gain a much needed change of perspective in life. Spoiler: Mrs Harris definitely makes it to Paris, yet extends her stay, offering to be a cleaner and seamstress in exchange for free accommodation. To her surprise, she gets taken out on a couple of dates with a fellow widow, of who is a little try hard. Mrs Harris also received some good karma by handing in an expensive piece of jewellery to the police, and the owner offered her a cash reward, which went towards her Parisian dream.

When you are in a foreign country, and you barely know the language and the culture; you just need to surrender to a higher order for assistance, and that is exactly what Mrs Harris received, from both the wealthy and the homeless alike.

She took a stand, and therefore encouraged Dior to review their business practices, and to encourage another couple to kiss. Sometimes people need a helping hand, and some loving company every now and then. Not to judge others either. Mrs Harris was definitely that friend to the French, and to the British alike. Her good sense of humour, together with her down to earth and witty persona took her far.

Some risks did not always pay off. Perhaps betting on a two legged greyhound on a hunch with £100 was probably not a good idea, yet she made another friend and dance partner out of that. Maybe a romantic partner, only for her to receive the widows pension. With risks came some abundance, even though gambling is not highly recommended. Mrs Harris dared to dream, and by that, she was urged to take a few risks. Things are not always what they seem, and surprises are most welcome. This was true when it came to the dress fitting process. Mrs Harris was used to trying something on in a shop, and then buying it. Not merely making a decision, and then having said dress made to order over a number of days or weeks.

People go to Paris to find love. Mrs Harris thought she had that, yet with every step, and every move she made while away was all romantic in itself. This film is a sweet delight. Do not see this as a film review, as that was not my intention; rather the intention here is to observe, and to ultimately share the key takeaways and life lessons from getting lost at an advance screening of this promising film tonight (as at the time of writing this.) It is good to appreciate the working class. Dreams (can and do) come true.